Pastoral guidance involves knowing, being and doing. According to John Patton, “Presence is not only prior to guidance, but also it continues on through any guidance that takes place. The guidance is strongly associated with wisdom. A guide points out the way [and] directs others on a course” (John Patton 35, 36). In addition, “in guidance, the major task is not directing the person’s life, but reminding and listening to the person cared for” (John Patton 37). John Patton talks about “the aspect of leading into the right paths, “[of which] one offers guidance and right direction first of all by listening carefully listening with care” (John Patton 42). “Without listening, the inward sense of the person is not expanded” (John Patton …show more content…
This kind of guidance is the pastoral’s deep concern to help the parishioner identify where she is, where she has been and where she wants to go” (John Patton 44). On the other hand, “leading beside still waters, a pastor tries to provide a steady and secure relationship that is relatively free from anxiety. In ministry, the pastoral carer’s task involves dealing with both his or her own anxiety and that of the patient. Learning to deal with anxiety comes from experience. The pastors’ anxiety needs to be experienced, recognized, shared and learned” (John Patton 38). “Leading a parishioner who is in some way lost or in crisis by still waters involves assuming that the person has some anxiety about his present situation. Pastoral care involves physical holding, the pastoral also offers the guidance of a secure and dependable relationship by acknowledging the parishioners’ anxiety and responding to it. In a secure relationship, one that can lead by still waters is one that has clear boundaries and limits” (John Patton 39, …show more content…
Additionally, this can lead to either of them not being open for fear of embarrassment. However, John Patton reminds me that “[in such a case,] pastoral wisdom is expressed first of all through the carer’s ability to lead through still waters to provide a steady and secure relationship that is free from anxiety”(John Patton 37). According to me my understanding, wisdom involves the ability to make sound choices and good decisions. It is not something a person is born with but it comes from living, making mistakes and learning from them. Although it involves intelligence, that is not always the case. In fact, I feel that wisdom can be found among relatively uneducated persons who have developed it through persistent learning from their experience. Moreover, this can help one to make sound choices and better decisions. On the other hand, according to my understanding, that one of the things that keeps a minister mired in anxiety in an unhealthy way, which is from not looking at the situation as an opportunity for growth is the idea of shame. Indeed,when we judge the carers spiritual life or even doubt our own faith in God because of anxiety, we ultimately push ourselves into a place of shame. I have often felt that way, but John Patton has opened my eyes in a wider view of how I can see anxiety. Similarly, John Patton says,
As a Christian counselor, we have the power of the Word on our sides, but so many of us do not understand how to properly apply scripture into the counseling relationship in an effective manner. In Interventions that Apply Scripture in Psychotherapy, Garzon (2005) attempts to accomplish the following; educate individuals on the various techniques one can use to apply scripture, and to encourage and stimulate God ordained creativity in the hopes to create new techniques and methods for applying God’s Word in the counseling relationship.
... By having them journal their prayers to God daily and encouraging them to read these entries frequently to refresh the memories of those prayers and seek for those that are answered allows for each client to find their way to a spiritual understanding that is not necessarily demonstrated by my impact, but that of God Himself. I am available to answer questions that pertain to the bible, but allow clients to interpret the teaching to their lives and recovery. These approaches allow clients to not rely on my experiences, but on their own encounters and knowledge. Gently guiding them to hear and see how God works in a client’s life is a rewarding and satisfying experience.
In African American Pastoral Care: Revised Edition, Dr. Wimberly spoke about responding to God’s unfolding and continually changing times when dealing with healing and reconciliation. In this revision of his classic book, Dr. Wimberly updated his message by examining current issues in African American pastoral care, counseling, and outreach ministry in the community. Dr. Wimberly reminded us that we need to do more for our members and proposed new pastoral care approaches to the crisis of disconnection. Using his own narrative, he explained and described how pastors and church leaders can claim a new narrative method for reestablishing the African American village. His paradigm for African American pastoral theology is inspiring African Americans.
Clinton, T. & Ohlschlager, G. (2002). Competent Christian counseling: Foundations and practice of compassionate soul care. Colorado Springs, CO: WaterBrook Press.
Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling written by Mark McMinn and published by Tyndale House in 2011 notions towards the idealization that Christian counselors need to be privy in the most recent psychological methods as well as theological theories. “This is a book about counseling processes techniques” (McMinn, 2011, p. 150). McMinn also alluded that Christian counselors benefit from having a spiritual maturity. With having these attributes counselors are better prepared to take note of prayer, Scripture, sin, confession, forgiveness, and redemption. McMinn (2011) model flows in the direction of healing while equating to a more advantageous relationship with The Lord Jesus Christ as well as with other relationships (McMinn, 2011).
In most Baptist Churches, the pastor serves until he passes away, voluntarily resigns or terminated by church for some ethical or moral indiscretions. Therefore, many Baptist churches have enjoyed their pastors for longer intervals than some other denominations. In my ministry context at Oak Grove Baptist Church (OGBC) the former pastor served for forty-six years and died unexpectedly. Unfortunately, OGBC did not have any procedures in place for pastoral transition and was unprepared for the change. Pastoral transition can be difficult for any church that does not have procedures in place. Once the church has selected a candidate the work of welcoming the new pastor and his family begins. In addition, the work of strengthening the relationships
Mark McMinn purposely writes this twofold book to first, address the pragmatic assimilation of psychology, theology, and spirituality. Secondly, he explores the spirituality of a Christian counselor, and how this aspect of character affects the methods he or she may use to represent Jesus Christ when dealing with clients. Altogether, this book discusses the dual need for Biblical Counselors to multitask with clients while pursuing personal development in spirituality to advance a Christian worldview. The objective is to “help Christian counselors and researchers unite around certain key questions and perspectives so that our interventions become increasingly relevant and effective" (p. 6).
However, it does not matter how strong a person’s faith is or how weak a person faith is, everyone in Christian counseling starts off the same. It is a process how a person develops overtime. This is similar to a child learning how to tie his or her shoes. At first they do not get it but overtime, it becomes of habit and the person get better. According to Clinton, Hart and Ohlschlager (2005),” they believe that Christian counselling has to do with and learning applying the principles of the kingdom on living to the chronically sins, fears, failures, and dark areas of our life (p.21). When people are at their lowest point he or she turn to Christ to get the throughout tough times. Furthermore, in chapter two a person learns about the trust and fined our truth. In chapter two it discusses becoming a trust worthy counselor. In Chapter two, I realized that is all about gaining the clients trust. If the client, does not trust the counselor then no typ of relationship can be bonded. The client is in a venerable state and the counselor has to make sure that the can feel free to be
“The call is something that is an indescribable joy and an indefinable burden at the same time.” (Bryant and Brunson 2007, 32). There is nothing more rewarding than seeing a congregation of the redeemed moving forward in their faith. However exciting this may be, it is usually not the thrill that propels the pastor in his service. It is the burden placed on the pastor by God that compels him in his work. The pastor understands that he is largely responsible for the work of God being accomplished by his faithfulness to his calling. “All through the Word of God and down through the annals of history, when God has moved it has almost always been attended by the preaching of the Word.” (Bryant and Brunson 2007, 31)
When it comes to the point of understanding of how Christian counseling can be effective, the accepted requirements for the standards of counseling
Sharon Barcham, a certified professional staff chaplain at the University of Chicago Medical Center on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 gave a brilliant presentation at an Interdisciplinary meeting and I wish to share excerpts from the presentation about the Role of the Chaplain. Sharon in her introductory lines says “As Chaplains in the Spiritual Care Department we are full members of the healthcare team who provide for the emotional, spiritual and psychological needs of patients, families, staff and volunteers. Specifically, through professional training and certification, we assist patients and often times their families to understand more fully life’s events as they relate to their spiritual and emotional well-being. From the patient’s life experience, we offer pastoral counseling, spiritual direction, prayer and
In the context of Pastoral Care, this assignment will focus on some of the values of Egan’s model with consideration given to some of its limitations in that arena.
Pastoral Care is defined as; ‘being concerned for the total wellbeing of students, and with the development of the whole person.’ While spiritual development is a focus in independent Religious schools, State schools have less of a focus on developing individual spirituality. The Pastoral Care system of a school needs to be a reflection of the overall ethos of the school. In recent years the focus of Pastoral Care has moved from ensuring students salvation to ensuring their prepared for the world beyond the school walls. Although preparation for the future is an important part of Pastoral Care, giving students the opportunity to develop in their spiritual well-being in the state school system plays a vital role in developing the student as a whole.
The shepherd and sheep relationship is the best illustration for the relationship between pastor and parishioners. When Jesus asked Simon Peter does he love him three times and said to him “Feed my sheep”, the shepherd and flock relationship has been set. Since Jesus is our good shepherd (Jn. 10:11a), he laid out a good example for us to follow - to lay down his life for the sheep. (Jn. 10:11b) Thus, the wellness of both in and out of the parishioners should always be the concern in the pastors’ hearts. Soul care for the people is essential. Christian friendship is the foundation of Christian soul care. Pastoral ministry including preaching, teaching, and worship forms the broad context of pastoral counseling. Pastoral care is within pastoral ministry but broader than pastoral counseling. God’s love is the source and motivation. Within the pastoral care, there are spiritual direction and pastoral
Pastors will also experience personal pain as they go through ministry. This is one of the methods that God can use to see that the pastor is growing and is more mature. It also helps the pastor to identify with the pain and suffering people in his congregation may be going through. This is evident in the life of the apostle Paul and others who have faithfully served the